Just think how much money is wasted on one of these get to togethers between a couple of world leaders, the travel, the layers of security, the dinners, the ceremonies, the local whirlwind tours, all for maybe a couple hours of serious talk between them on things that matter. Don't know the number but I'm guessing a phone call could save both countries millions of dollars each time.
Agreed. And I think "millions" might be dramatically understating it in many cases. Video conferencing is pretty good nowadays. Ed O.
"Listen, Hugo, we have to stop meeting like this. No really. Budget cuts, you know how it goes. We are a poor country. Skype me anytime, though. " barfo
It extends to local government too, Portland mayors go on these type of trips to sister cities and others.
Seriously, a lot of dealmaking depends on making a personal connection. There's a reason why certain types of businesses still have salespeople visit clients in person, and it's the same reason diplomatic visits still make sense in some cases. barfo
in some places (West Africa, for one) they don't care what you want to talk about until they think you actually care about them. The French and British navies visit there every 6 months or so, and in each port the first night in port is a hosted cocktail party on the ship for the dignitaries (naval commanders, ambassadors, defense attaches, civil bigwigs, etc) to get together and chat informally, even if business is conducted. The second night the embassy or host nation hosts a cocktail party (generally a dinner) that gets people together to talk informally. After that's done, the staff officers get together to discuss the meat and potatoes of the operation and training/maintenance. One of the criticisms of the US's nascent involvement there is that we come in with a checklist, attempt to complete it to the best of our ability with maximum efficiency, and to them it looks like we're the Big Brother helping out the little guy, which in reality is incorrect. While we're trying to show our culture of professionalism from the highest admiral to the most junior seaman, they're trying to see if we're friends first before starting to work with us.
Of course. We don't generally have protocol officers and teleprompters telling us when to bow, whose hand to shake, and what words to say. Does that surprise you that the average ship captain isn't familiar with the etiquette of Togo? Especially since most Americans couldn't pick out the continent that Togo's on, much less the tribal customs and courtesies of their elected officials?
Where are the good old days when our president could be counted on to vomit on the Japanese prime minister after losing a tennis match to the emperor?
